This invention relates to a method and system for allowing a caller to control calls placed to a called party where the called party has forwarded incoming calls to a forwarding number.
A growing number of call processing features are available to users of telecommunications systems. For example, features such as call forwarding, call waiting, voice messaging, and caller identification provide subscribers with desired information and allow subscribers to exercise some control over outgoing and incoming telephone calls. Call forwarding is a feature that allows a subscriber to direct an incoming call to a different telephone directory number. Variations on call forwarding include call forwarding only when the called line is busy, call forwarding only if the called line does not answer, and call forwarding of all incoming calls. For example, if a subscriber knows that she will be working at an office or location remote from the location of her primary telephone directory number, she may forward incoming calls to a telephone directory number of a telephone located in the office in which she will be working. Accordingly, incoming calls to the subscriber""s primary telephone directory number are forwarded to the forwarding-number so that the subscriber may receive her calls.
Under such call forwarding systems, a calling party placing a call to a telephone directory number from which calls have been forwarded to a separate telephone directory number has no control over the forwarding process. That is, if a caller calls a telephone directory number from which calls have been forwarded to a forwarding number, the calling party has no knowledge of the forwarding process, and the calling party""s call is simply forwarded to the alternate number according to the forwarding instructions of the called party. Often, a calling party would rather not have her calls directed to a forwarding number. For example, the calling party may not wish to be forwarded to a wireless telephone of the called party because the calling party may wish to discuss confidential matters that should not be discussed over a wireless telecommunications system. Likewise, a calling party may not wish to have her call forwarded to a location where no privacy is afforded to the called party. Or, the calling party simply may wish to engage in a brief social conversation that can wait until the called party has returned to the called party""s office or home where the called party""s primary telephone directory number may be answered.
There is a need in the art for a method and system for allowing a calling party to exercise control over calls placed to a telephone directory number from which incoming numbers have been forwarded to a forwarding number. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.
In accordance with the present invention, the above and other problems are solved by a method and system for allowing caller control of calls directed to a called party where the called party has forwarded incoming calls to a forwarding telephone directory number. A call forwarding control feature is selected at the local telephone switch of the calling party on a call-by-call basis. Alternatively, the call forwarding control feature may be provisioned at the switch for all outgoing calls. After a directory number of a called party is entered, a determination is made as to whether the called party has forwarded-incoming calls. If the called party has activated a call forwarding service for incoming calls, the caller""s switch is instructed to terminate the call attempt. If the call attempt is to be terminated, a message may be played to the caller to alert the caller that the called party""s calls are forwarded and that the call attempt is being terminated. If the called party""s calls are not forwarded, the caller""s call is connected to the called party.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the call forwarding control method and system are switch-based where the determination as to the call forwarding status of the called party""s line is made at the called party""s switch. According to another aspect, the call forwarding control method and system are network-based. According to the network-based method and system, the determination as to whether the called party""s calls are forwarded is performed at a network component such as a service control point that is tasked with forwarding calls directed to the called party.